Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled the latest addition to its prestigious Private Collection range – a single malt described by acclaimed whisky writer, Dave Broom, as ‘extraordinary’.
Gordon & MacPhail 1949 from Glenlivet Distillery was laid down in a refill Sherry butt selected by Gordon & MacPhail on New Year’s Day 1949 and bottled on 6th March 2023. Priced at £35,000 RSP and retaining a cask strength of 49.3%, only 192 bottles of the ultra-rare whisky are available for sale.
Its remarkable age means the whisky is among one of the oldest Glenlivet released by Gordon & MacPhail, having been aged in its warehouse for over seven decades. Adding an extra layer of rarity, the single malt is the company’s last ever 1949 cask from Glenlivet Distillery.
Layered with complex notes and full of vibrancy and character, the whiskydisplays sweet, stewed fruit aromas that combine with fragrant cinnamon, aged leather, clementine, and beeswax polish. On the palate, autumnal spices and fruitcake are balanced by cracked pepper, with undertones of garden mint, dark treacle, and charred oak.
Dave Broom, whisky writer, said: “To find a whisky of this age is absolutely extraordinary. What comes across immediately is the fruit – there’s richness and there’s depth. You have this wonderful interplay of distillery character, of oak and oxygen. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
“When you taste it, you taste time. You can taste all the vintages and everything that’s happened. The concentration of fruits, the layers and the complexity are off the scale. You’d think it’s an old whisky but it’s not just an old whisky. It’s an extraordinary whisky.”
Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Patience, knowledge, skill, and a commitment to quality are all principles exemplified in this greatly aged single malt. Gordon & MacPhail 1949 from Glenlivet Distillery is extremely scarce – our very last cask of Glenlivet from 1949, making it a must for whisky enthusiasts looking to savour a remarkable greatly aged single malt exuding layers of character and decades of maturation expertise.”
Those looking to be among the first to taste this latest Private Collection release can purchase the whisky at Dubai International Airport. Launching in partnership with Le Clos on Friday 1st September, the Dubai airport store will have an exclusivity period, before the whisky becomes available worldwide on the 19th of September.
Founded in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has bottled spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries, developing unique experience of how to mature single malts for many decades in their own casks.
For more information, visit www.gordonandmacphail.com
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Dram Gazette 